What is Hunnaka?

Question

What the history behind Hunnakah

Answer 1

Although cheesy.potatoes basically answered the question, some important points were left out.

The Syrian-Greeks had thousands of soldiers attacking a couple hundred Jews at a time. It was only through open miracles that the Jews were able to win.

After they did, however, they went to the Temple (or Beis Hamikdash in Hebrew) and wanted to rededicate it to G-d. The problem was that an essential part of this was to light the Menora, a huge 7-light candelabra that was lit every day during the time that the Beis Hamikdash was standing. The problem was that the Syrian-Greeks had broken the seals of purity on the oil, making them unfit for use. (Please note that this has nothing to do with seals of quality on today's food products. The seal was to ensure that the oil wasn't touched by anyone with spiritual impurity. The greeks had no problem letting the Jews be, they just wanted them to incorporate Greek culture into theirs. Obviously, the concept that oil touched by Greeks made it unpure didn't fit in well with their wish. Therefore they broke in and broke all the seals, rendering them impure.)

After a long, extensive, search, one small jar of oil with the seal of the high priest (or Kohen Gadol) was found. The problem was that the oil was rationed off into one-day jars. This might not seem like a problem since it only took one day to make the oil. It was a problem, however, because they were spiritually contaminated due to their contact with corpses (remember, they had just won a war). According to Leviticus, there was a week process involved in removing that impurity from them. Therefore they’d be without oil for a week while they went through the process. However, they lit the oil and celebrated, thanking G-d for delivering them from the hands of their enemies.

The other miracle, however, is that although the oil was only enough for one day, it lasted for eight whole days until they were able to secure new oil. Only when they had enough oil to re-kindle the menorah did the lights finally go out.

That’s why we celebrate by lighting the menorah for eight days (and that’s also why our menorahs have eight stems unlike the one in the Beis Hamikdash which had seven. The middle ninth one is merely the shamash which is used to light the other lights, and also has other uses as dictated in Jewish law which are much too complicated to get into here. You can e-mail me at [e-mail] if you’d like to discuss this further). That’s also why we have latkas and other foods fried in oil. To remind us of the miracle that happened

Answer 2

It is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the hope . The Jews have gone throw some horrible things but the Sabbath candle burned bright for seven days and guided the Jewish people!

Answer 3

Hanukkah (חנכה ḥănukkāh, or חנוכה ḥănūkkāh) is a Jewish holiday, also known as the Festival of lights. "Hanukkah" is a Hebrew word meaning "dedication". It also has other spellings in English, such as Chanukah, Hannukah, Hanukah, Chanuka, Chanukkah, Hanuka, Channukah, Hanukka, Hanaka, Haneka, Hanika, and Khanukkah. The first evening of Hanukkah starts after the sunset of the 24th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev. Since in Jewish tradition the calendar date starts at sunset, Hanukkah begins on the 25th.

Around 200 BCE Jews lived as an autonomous people in the land of Israel, which at this time was controlled by the Seleucid King of Syria. The Jewish people paid taxes to Syria and accepted its legal authority, and by and large were free to follow their own faith, maintain their own jobs, and engage in trade.

By 180 BCE Antiochus IV Epiphanes ascended to the Seleucid throne. At first little changed, but under his reign Jews were gradually forced to violate the precepts of their faith. Jews rebelled at having to do this. Under the reign of Antiochus IV, the Temple in Jerusalem was looted, Jews were massacred, and Judaism was effectively outlawed.

In 167 BCE Antiochus ordered an altar to Zeus erected in the Temple. Mattathias, a Jewish priest, and his five sons John, Simon, Eleazar, Jonathan, and Judah led a rebellion against Antiochus. Judah became known as Judah Maccabee (Judah The Hammer). By 166 BCE Mattathias had died, and Judah took his place as leader. By 165 BCE the Jewish revolt against the Seleucid monarchy was successful. The Temple was liberated and rededicated.

The festival of Hanukkah was instituted by Judah Maccabee and his brothers to celebrate this event. (1 Macc. iv. 59). After having recovered Jerusalem and the Temple, Judah ordered the Temple to be cleansed, a new altar to be built in place of the polluted one, and new holy vessels to be made. When the fire had been kindled anew upon the altar and the lamps of the candlestick lit, the dedication of the altar was celebrated for eight days amid sacrifices and songs (1 Macc. iv. 36).

A number of historians believe that the reason for the eight day celebration was that the first Hanukkah was in effect a belated celebration of the festival of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles (Macc. x. 6 and i. 9). During the war the Jews were not able to celebrate Sukkot properly. Sukkot also lasts for eight days, and was a holiday in which the lighting of lamps played a prominent part during the Second Temple period (Suk.v. 2-4). Lights were also kindled in the household, and the popular name of the festival was, therefore, according to Josephus (http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=J.+AJ+12.287 Jewish Antiquities xii. 7, ? 7, #323) the "Festival of Lights" ("And from that time to this we celebrate this festival, and call it Lights"). It has been noted that Jewish festivals are connected to the harvesting of the Biblical seven fruits which Israel was famed for. Pesach is a celebration of the barley harvest, Shavuoth of the wheat, Sukkoth of the figs, dates, pomegranates and grapes, and Hanukkah of the olives. The olive harvest is in November and olive oil would be ready in time for Hanukkah in December.

Answer 4

It is a Jewish holiday kinda like Kawanzza.

Answer 5

It is spelled "Hanukkah."

I suggest the following website:
http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/holidays/hanukkah/

Answer 6

a jewish holiday

Answer 7

its in your mind.